Josh Addo-Carr of the Storm scores a try during the Round 8 NRL match between the Melbourne Storm and the New Zealand Warriors at AAMI Park in Melbourne, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. (AAP Image/Hamish Blair) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Rugby League

Perfect Storm light up Anzac Day

by Gilbert Gardiner

25th Apr 2018 9:11 PM
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SOUND the alarm.

Melbourne Storm is back in business.

The reigning premier treated New Zealand Warriors with contempt, 50-10, in the traditional Anzac night blockbuster at AAMI Park, in front of a sold out crowd of 25,731.

It took just two minutes for Storm to put their stamp on the game and a further 29 minutes to break the Warriors' spirit with six unanswered tries.

Such is the unbridled scoring power of the Storm and anyone in a purple jersey is capable of inflicting maximum damage.

Anzac medallist Billy Slater sparked the onslaught with a sweetly-timed and placed drop punt across the field and into the waiting arms of Young Tonumaipea.

The stand-in winger, who replaced Suliasi Vunivalu (hamstring) before the game, made the most of the delivery, putting down a grubber for Ryley Jacks to open Melbourne's account.

The rest is history. Five more tries in 29 minutes of blistering football.

Slater totally destroyed the Warriors in a man of the match display.

Cameron Munster cut a swath through the Warriors' defensive line with creative passes and kicks.

Lock him in for Queensland in Origin I at the MCG on June 6.

Munster could not have been more impressive through the first eight games of the season after being read the riot act in the off-season after letting standards slip and stacking on the kilograms.

Josh Addo-Carr picked up where he left off last week and finished with another double.

The fastest man in the NRL put on the jets not once or twice but three times in a brilliant individual performance close to halftime, surging past five Warriors to score an 80-metre beauty.

There was no stopping the red hot Storm.

After stepping past three Warriors at the 20-metre mark, Addo-Carr burst away from a desperate Ken Maumalo and then eyed off fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, the Warriors fastest man, to score in the corner.

Lock him in for New South Wales in Origin I at the MCG on June 6.

A depleted Storm, missing premiership stars Dale Finucane (thumb), Jesse Bromwich (knee) and Vunivalu, was ruthless in the first half, completing 13 consecutive sets to pile on the points.

After succumbing to the club's worst start to a season (2-3) the reigning premier has scored 40, 34 and 50 in consecutive weeks - simply breathtaking.

It was Melbourne’s best performance of the year by some way.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona led the forward pack with aplomb, running for 100 metres, while Christian Welch, Tim Glasby and Sam Kasiano chipped in with valuable gains.